Oil burner



Mam}! 1947. D. P. L|TZENBERG 2,416,932

OIL BURNER Filed Aug. 13, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 am: R149 2%?? 5 3 I firney' March 1947- D. P. LITZENBERG 2,416,932

OIL BURNER Filed Aug. 13, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

llllllllll l ll .adpidfirker 9146 Patented Mar. 4, 1947 I OIL BURNER David Parker Litzenberg, Philadelphia, Pa., aesignor to Motor Parts Company, Philadelphia,

Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 13, 1943, Serial No. 498,568

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to oil burners and it relates more particularly to a certain new and useful oil burner for more efficiently bum- 7 ing fuel oil in a furnace or the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simple, economical and efl'icient burner for fuel oil. Another object of the present invention is to supply an oil burner which will burn the fuel oil with a more eflective flame. Still another object of the present invention is to provide an oil burner which will more efllciently vaporize the fuel oil preliminary to combustion thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention are apparent in the following detailed description, appended claims and accompanying drawings.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the accompanying drawings one form thereof which is at present preferred, since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and organizations of the instrumentallties as herein shown and described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention as it appears when installed in a furnace.

Figure 2 represents a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical cross-section of the embodiment of Figure 1.

Figure 3 represents a perspective view of the inner rotating element of the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 represents a cross-sectional view gen erally along the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 represents a schematic cross-sectional view of the shut-off mechanism.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, I have shown the novel oil burner construction of the present invention as used with a conventional metering valve ill for controlling the supply of fuel oil to the burner. The metering valve ill is provided with automatic thermostatic control means as well as manual control means all well known in the art and, therefore, not described herein. The embodiment shown in the drawings is also provided, with automatic shutofi means which will be described in detail hereinbelow.

The metering valve and a conventional motor 12 are mounted upon a support l3 which is bolted to the outside of the outer flange H of a barrel or sleeve l5, mounted upon a the door It; the sleeve l5 extending inside of the door l6 and being supported thereupon by bolts l'l passing through the flange M. An inwardly-extending flange 34 is formed on the inner end of the sleeve l5.

A plate It having openings l9 therein is fastened to the outer end of the sleeve 95 by bolts 20, screw-threadedly connected to the flange l4. A disc 2i is rotatably mounted upon the outside of the plate i8; pins 22 set in the plate l8 and extending through slots 23 in the disc 2|, permitting limited rotation of the disc 2i relative to the plate I8.

The disc 2! has openings 25 therethrough, which can be brought into and out of registration with th opening is in the plate l8 by rotation of the disc it; the openings 26 and is being in full registration when the pins 22 are at one end of the slots 23 and being fully out of regis tration when the pins 22 are at the other end of the slots 23.

A cup-like member 25 is mounted upon the inner end of the shaft 26 of the motor 52; the shaft 26 passing through central openings in the plate is and disc 2!. A bolt 21 passes through a pair of discs 28 separated'by a gasket 40 and through the member 25 and is screw-threadedly connected to the innermost end of the shaft26 to hold the assembly on said shaft.

An inner cylindrical vaporizing chamber or barrel ea which is smaller inaxial dimension as well as in diameter than the outer barrel l5, has its innermost open end somewhat spaced and recessed from the innermost flanged open end of the outer sleeve the barrels i5 and ti being spaced apart by a plurality of circumferentially spaced axially extending inner ribs 39 formed on the outer barrel or sleeve l5.

An annular frusto-conical chamber 29 is formed in the member 25: the chamber 29 being open at its end adjacent the plate l8.

A feed-line it extends from the metering valve l0 through the disc 2| and the plate I8 and is adapted to deliver fuel oil to the chamber 29 in the member 25.

A plurality of nozzles 3| extend from the chamber 29, through the discs 28, to the interior of the inner barrel II: the nozzles 3! being set at an angle as shown in Figure 2, so that fuel oil draining from the chamber 29 therethrough will be delivered against the inner wall of the inner barrel 4|. The discs, 28 are adjacent the end of the barrel 4| and have a somewhat smaller diameter than said barrel so that a small peripheral clearance 42 is provided whereby a limited amount of peripheral air can enter said barrel. Instead of the clearance 42, a peripheral opening may be formed adjacent the rear end of said barrel in other ways known in the art.

A plurality of fan blades 324are mounted upon the outside of the member 25 and are adapted to blow air inwardly through the space intermediate the outer sleeve l5 and the inner barrel 4| when the shaft 26 and the member 25 are rotated by the motor l2. During such rotation, a. relatively slight amount of peripheral air is blown into the barrel 4| through the clearance 42.

The amount of air which so enters the barrel 4| is governed by the position and diameter of the discs 28 relative to the barrel 4| and these elements are so dimensioned that the air entering th barrel 4| will be just sufllcient to support combustion of the small amount of oil which is delivered by the nozzles or spinners 3| into the barrel 4| on a low" setting of the metering valve l9, but will be insufficient to burn anything but a very small part of the oil which is delivered into the barrel 4| on a "high setting of the metering valve I9.

The greater part of the air-flow created by the I rotating fan blades 32 passes through the annular space intermediate the sleeve I5 and the inner barrel 4| and emerges from the sleeve IS in an annular swirling stream inside the furnace and away from the spaced, recessed inner end of the barrel 4|. Thus, on a high" setting of the metering valve I9, virtually all combustion of the oil takes place inside the furnace and away from both the sleeve l5 and the cylinder 4|; little, if any, combustion taking place inside the barrel 4| due to the fact that the small amount of air entering said barrel is insuiilcient to cause combustion of any appreciable proportion of the relatively large amount of oil delivered by the nozzles or spinners 3| at a high" setting of the valve l9.

Because of the manner of delivery of the major portion of the air-flow, a central vortex is created which causes some of the hot combustion mixture (including burned and partially burned gases and heated air) to be returned to the barrel 4|; this returning combustion mixture entering generally along the center of the barrel 4| and flaring outwardly to leave the barrel again along the periphery thereof, so that, aided by the small peripheral air-flow entering through the clearance 42, it tends to pre-heat the oil delivered by the nozzles 3| and to sweep the heated oil out of the barrel 4| for combustion in a zone removed from the barrel 4| and the sleeve. l5.

When the burner is operating on a low" setting of the valve III, the air delivered through the clearance 42 maybe sufi'icient to cause combustion within the barrel 4| of most of the relatively small amount of oil delivered by the nozzles 3|, so that the barrel is kept at a sufliciently high temperature for properly vaporizing the oil at such "low" setting.

Thus, by means of the novel construction of the present invention, the barrel 4| is, at all times, kept at a sumciently high temperature for proper oil vaporization; the heating of the barrel 4| being done by the influx of hot combustion gases at a "high setting of the metering valve l9 and being done by the internal combustion of the small amount of fuel oil at a low setting of the metering valve 9.

unburned fuel oil will be retained by the flange 34 on the barrel l5 and will accumulate in the bottom of the barrel I5 and will pass through the drain 33 and conduit 35 (which passes throughregistering openings in the bottom of the door It and the flange l4) to a chamber II which is mounted below the metering valve |9. A buoyant float 43 is disposed within the chamber II and is provided with'an upwardly-extending stem 44 which extends into the casing of the metering valve I9. The upper end of the stem 44 is hingedly connected as at 45 to one arm of a lever 46 which is pivotally mounted upon a pin 41.. The lever 46 is provided with a hook 48 disposed generally below the pin 41. x

A fuel inlet line 38' is connected to a valve assembly 49 disposed inside of the casing of the metering valve assembly l9; the valve assembly 49 including a needle valve 59 which is normally tensioned to its uppermost open position by a coil spring 5|.

A member 52 which is positioned directly above the upper end of the needle valve 59 is pivoted as at 53 and is provided with a weight 54 at its free end. The member 52 is provided with a slot 55 into which the hook 48 of the lever 46 is adapted to extend to engage the member 52 and to retain it in a generally horizontal position away from the needle valve 59.

When the burner is operating normally so that the fuel oil is being burned, the float 43 will be in its lowermost positionwithin the chamber H, as shown in Figure 5, so that the hook 48 of the lever 46 will hold the member 52 away from the needle valve 59 and will permit fuel oil to flow from the inlet line 38 through the valve assembly 49 into a sleeve 58 and from there into the feed line 39. When, however, unburned fuel oil accumulates within the chamber H, the float 43 rises to unlatch the hook 48 from within the slot 55 and to permit the weighted member 52 to drop down upon the upper end of the needle valve 59 and thus to close the valve assembly 49. In this way,-f urther flow of fuel oil to the feed line is prevented.

A re-set arm 5'! extendsoutwardly from the casing of the metering valve'assembly I9 and permits the member 52 to be lifted for re-setting after the fuel oil has been drained from the chamber iia-by means of the drain-valve 36.

A camming projection 58 is formed on the lever 46 and causes the hook 48 to re-engage within the slot 55 when the member 52 is lifted by the re-set arm .51.

Thus, the valve assembly 49 is again opened to permit delivery of oil to the feed line 39.

A handle 31 is provided for the disc 2| to permit rotation thereof in order to regulate the degree of registration ofthe openings l9 and 24 to control the degree of draft and the supplyof air to the burner.

In operation, fuel oil enters through the inlet line 38 and passes through the open valve assembly 49 and the sleeve 55 to the feed line 39 from which it is delivered at a predetermined rate to the chamber 29; the member 25 and the nozzles 3| beingrotated by the motor l2 through the shaft 25. v

The oil passes from the chamber 29 through movement.

Rotation of the an blades 32 sucks in air through the registering openings l3 and 24 and I bustion gases to be returned tothe barrel 4| to heat the barrel and to aid in sweeping the oil sprayed from the nozzles 3| into the remote combustion zone.

As described hereinabove, at low settings of the-metering valve l0, combustion takes place within the barrel 4|.

Should combustion fail for any reason, the unburned oil will drain through the conduit 35 to I operate the shut-off mechanism described heresmall amount of air entering through the peripheral clearance 42 is insufiicient to support any appreciable amount of combustion at such high valve settings.

On the other hand, the present construction permits combustion within the barrel 4| at low valve settings so that the barrel 4| will be heated and will always be ufllciently hot to ensure proper vaporization of the oil even at .low valve settings.

The oil burner construction of the present invention can be quickly and easily installed in conventional furnaces. The assembly of outer sleeve and inner barrel together with their support |3 can be installed in a conventional coalburning furnace by simply cutting a hole in the said sleeve from the outer end thereof, a hub mounted on said shaft and adapted to be rotated therewith, said hub being disposed outwardly of said, barrel and having an annular chamber therein, a fuel line extending into said hub chamber and adapted to feed fuel thereto, a

plurality of circumferentially arranged nozzles carried by said hub and extending from said chamber into said barrel, said nozzles being adapted to spray fuel oil against the inner wall of said barrel upon rotation of said hub, a plurality of fan blades mounted on said hub outwardly of said barrel, the diameter of said blades being greater than that of said barrel, and a circularplate mounted at the inner end of said shaft; said plate being disposed generally at the outer end of said barrel and being somewhat smaller in diameter than said barrel so as to provide a small annular clearanc therewith, rotation of said blades being adapted to send a limited supply of air into said barrel through the aforesaid annular clearance while directing the greater part of the air inwardly through said sleeve externally of said barrel.

2. An oil burner comprising means forming a combustion chamber provided with an opening in an outer wall thereof, an elongated generally cylindrical sleeve within said combustion chamber and aligned with and extending from said opening, said sleeve being open at its inner end and having adjustable air intake ports at its outer end, a barrel. mounted within said sleeve and appreciably spaced therefrom radially, said barrel having its open inner end terminating short of the inner end of said sleeve, means for atomizing fuel oil inside said barrel, means for barrel at low fire settings but being insuflicient furnace door l6 of a size suflicient to take the outer sleeve l5 and by bolting the flange M to the claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. An oil burner comprising an elongated sleeve adapted to. be mounted upon a furnace or the like and to extend within the combustion chamber thereof, said sleeve having adjustable airinlets at its outer end, said sleeve being generally to support appreciable combustion of fuel oil within said barrel at high fire settings, and means disposed within said sleeve for drawing air through said ports and blowing it inwardly through the annular spac intermediate the bar- 3. An oil burner comprising means forming a combustion chamber provided with an opening in an outer wall thereof, an elongated generally cylindrical sleeve within said combustion cham= ber and aligned with and extending from said opening, said sleeve being open at its inner end and having adjustable air intake ports at its outer end,- a barrel mounted within said sleeve and cylindrical but being inwardly tapered at its inner appreciably spaced therefrom radially, said barrel having its open inner end terminating short of the inner end of said sleeve, means closing the major portion of the rear end of said barrel, means for introducing a swirling stream of fuel oil inside said barrel, and fan means disposed within said sleeve rearwardly of said barrel and adapted to draw air in through said ports and to blow a small amount of said air peripherally into the rear end of said barrel while blowing the greater part of said air through the annular space intermediate the barrel and the sleeve and across the open end of said barrel, thereby to suck vaporized oil from said barrel into a combustible mixture within the combustion chamber and away from the barrel and to cause eddying D. PARER LITZENBERG.

REFERENCES CITED f The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 1,700,269

Name Date Loepsinger -1 Jan. 29, 1929 Andler Aug. 17, 1937 Leopsinger Jan. 29, 1929 Tiffany Dec. 16, 1930 Miller Aug. 25, 1931 Tofiteen Mar. 15, 1927 Rayfleld Oct. 26, 1937 Moule Oct. 10, 1939 Johnston May 14, 1940 Anderson Apr. 8, 1924 Number 20 Number 8 Name Date Boyce. Aug. 25, 1931 Foulds Dec. 6, 1938 Stromquist Aug. 19, 1924 DeVi1biss July 28, 1925 Doble July 23, 1918 Brown Nov. 4, 1919 Babka Mar. 15, 1927 Marr Aug. 30, 1927 Johnson May 14, I940 Sauvage Aug. 13, 1929 v French et a1 May 26, 1925 Yarrow Sept. 20, 1932 Peterson ...1 Feb. 7,1928 Appel Sept. 27, 1932 Ballard Feb. 11, 1919 Asbury June 28, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date British Aug. 31, 1933 

